"We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation"
Warner Bros. have hit pause on the release of 'The Batman' in Russian cinemas while Disney have done likewise with the Pixar movie 'Turning Red'.
'The Batman' is one of the most highly anticipated movie releases of 2022. It is set for release this week in a number of international territories, including the USA, Ireland, the UK, and Russia.
Warner Bros have announced that due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, they have officially stopped the release of the Robert Pattinson-led feature in Russia.
In a statement, the studio said: "In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film, 'The Batman' in Russia.
"We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy."
The news comes shortly after the Walt Disney Company also announced that it will be pausing all theatrical releases in Russia.
This includes Disney Pixar's 'Turning Red', which was set to debut on March 10th.
A statement from a company spokesperson reads: "Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming 'Turning Red' from Pixar.
"We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation. In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees."
In territories such as the USA, the UK and Ireland, 'Turning Red' will release on Disney Plus on March 11th.
'The Batman' premieres in Irish theatres on March 4th. Read our four star review below.
UPDATE: More film studios have followed suit with pulling movie releases from Russia.
Following on from 'The Batman' and 'Turning Red' announcements, Sony announced they are holding off on releasing 'Morbius' in Russia.
A spokesperson for Sony said: "Given the ongoing military action in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty and humanitarian crisis unfolding in that region, we will be pausing our planned theatrical releases in Russia, including the upcoming release of 'Morbius.'
"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been impacted and hope this crisis will be resolved quickly."
Paramount are pausing the release of both 'The Lost City' and 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2' in Russia.
A spokesperson shared (via Variety): "As we witness the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine, we have decided to pause the theatrical release of our upcoming films in Russia, including 'The Lost City,' and 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2.'
"We stand by all those impacted by the humanitarian crisis across Ukraine, Russia, and our international markets and will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds."